Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) typically comprise a housing in which a leadframe is embedded. An LED chip is arranged on the leadframe within the housing. Such an LED is usually adhesively bonded to a carrier by means of connections of the leadframe that are led from the housing toward the outside. Since the connection of the housing to the leadframe typically cannot be embodied continuously in such a way as to achieve hermetic sealing of the interior of the housing relative to the exterior, micro-gaps and permeation paths along the interface between the housing and the leadframe occur, through which soldering material can creep into the interior of the housing during the soldering process. The soldering material can thereby form a thin film that covers the leadframe within the housing in an uncontrollable manner. Such an effect is therefore unacceptable for the production of reliable and high-quality LEDs. The creep effect can additionally be intensified if the LED is repeatedly soldered on and de-soldered.
A similar effect is known for substrate-like chip carriers such as, for instance, ceramic carriers with conductor tracks or circuit boards in which the conductor tracks are covered in places with a plastics material which serves as a soldering resist, for example, and under which solder can creep along the interface between the plastics material and the conductor track.